Epilogue
by Leper Messiah
Summary: "Our truest life is when we are in dreams awake." - Thoreau
1. I

**Epilogue. **

**I.**

And she got better, and started all over again … 

_And when the nurse fell asleep that night, she went to the window to talk to the Owl. _

_She reached out her hand, as if to touch the filthy creature, and it hopped nearer. But _

_she smiled because she had tricked it so, and with her other hand, brought up the knife _

_and threw it towards the Owl. It was a bad throw and she missed, only grazing a wing. _

_She cried into the curtains, and didn't notice when the Owl weakly flew off. It never _

_came back after that._

The doctors said she wasn't recovering as fast as they had expected. So she couldn't go 

to school anymore. The Owl stared through the window, sometimes she went into fits. 

Cold hard stare. She wasn't alone, not ever ... so they put a curtain over the window, 

and it took away the sun. But when the wind blew, the Owl was still watching. So she 

waited. She waited until everyone was gone away, and the nurse went to answer the

 phone ... she took one of the shiny knives from the kitchen and slipped it under her 

shirt. Rushing up the stairs, she cut herself by accident, but it was only a hairline, 

inflicted by a nail during a tumultuous sleep, really. 

_An Owl - she remembered it from her window. It was there always when she arrived _

_home from school. But she knew the doctors were right, so she told it to go away. It _

_never did - no matter how hard she screamed. until her throat was dry and she _

_collapsed coughing. but it wouldn't leave. _

The nurse stayed with her at all times, to make sure she didn't think without supervision. 

_There was a machine in her bedroom, the nurse could give her shots to make her fall _

_asleep, if something bad came to mind ... But they couldn't control her dreams, and she_

_reveled in them ... everybody was there, and they were laughing, until the nurse woke _

_her up again. They were afraid she would hurt herself … they were afraid she might slip _

_into a sleep and never wake up again …_

_So they took away her Book. And they reminded her that there was no Labyrinth. And_

_there was no king or any goblins. And they reminded her again and again - until she _

_started to see that she had made a mistake._

_But the doctor helped her to forget. It was hormones, yes, they created for her a_

_ character with whom to share her deepest thoughts ... a secret fantasy world for her to _

_fall into when she was upset ... happens all the time, that's right - mostly girls ... totally _

_normal, except when the character takes over ... yes, sometimes they forget their friends, _

_want to spend more time alone, with their imaginations ... but you can fix that. With time. _

_Just give her time ..._

_One day her mind started to scream, and it didn't stop. Something ... from the past. It _

_haunted her, and no matter how hard she tried, these thoughts kept coming back, night _

_and day ... until she could think of nothing else ..._

_She was happy after it happened. She had learned a lot. Her parents were pleased. But she _

_became dependent, and they didn't like that. At first it wasn't bad. But then she couldn't _

_leave the house without the Book, and then she couldn't eat without the Book at the table, _

_and then she couldn't go to sleep without the Book under her pillow. She didn't want to go_

_ outside anymore. She didn't want anything except the Book. Her teachers were worried. _

_She wasn't keeping up with her studies. She might have to repeat the course. Her parents _

_were concerned. She was losing weight. She slept all the time. She didn't care._

The darkness of night seemed futile; the lights of the city were too bright for the natural shroud. 

An anxious girl lay dreaming, alone in her bed. She was always alone, though she didn't mean to 

be. She thought no one wanted her; she wouldn't allow anyone near her – that way she would 

never get hurt. She cried out in her sleep; her hand twitched; in her mind, she was reaching out 

for something …

"Sarah …" a voice from the past; it whispered to her gently. "Open your eyes …" 

*          *          *


	2. II

**Epilogue. **

**II.**

So she did. 

She couldn't recognize the face. Something familiar about the voice, but- 

"Sarah." She looked up at the Man, confused.

"How do you know my name? Who _are_ you?" Sarah whispered. The Man frowned, holding 

out his hand. Enshrined within was a glass ball; he rolled it around in his palm before, delicately 

balanced upon a gloved finger, he offered it to her. Sarah took the glowing sphere, sitting up, 

wide-eyed as a child.

_She was standing on a rocky precipice. The Man was there too. He was laughing. And there _

_was a clock. But something was wrong with the clock. It had thirteen hours on its face. She _

_looked east, and there was a maze. And a castle inside the maze. But it was a rather large _

_maze. A labyrinth even …_

_The scene changed; she was climbing, climbing – another maze, this one contained and _

_bizarrely lit – thousands of staircases, turning this way and that, ascending, descending, no _

_where to go, nothing to do but climb …_

Sarah dropped the ball, watching as it rolled to the edge of the bed and fell – shattering into dust.

"You're him … aren't you?" she began to shake all over. "Y-you're the -" the Man smiled wickedly.

"Of course I am. Such a pity  … you spoilt everything …" He laughed, then turned to face her 

sternly. "What I'm more interested in is why I'm here. Why is that, Sarah?"

"I – d – d – don't – " The Man grabbed her wrist, glaring into her eyes.

"Don't play games, Sarah. Why have you summoned me?" she furrowed her brows, not understanding. 

"I didn't. I … wouldn't …" 

"But you have. You called out so pathetically that I supposed something horrible had happened …" 

he smiled wickedly, "but you were here, all alone, sleeping like … a baby."

"I must have been … dreaming …" he laughed again, doubling up as he realized what she had done. His 

cold eyes twinkled. Sarah was stunned. "No … I couldn't, I don't even – I didn't!" she looked at him in 

panic. "I didn't say anything, I didn't, please -"

"What's said is said."

And before she could protest further, Sarah found herself standing in a dimly lit hall. Torches burned 

brightly from sconces littering the walls, casting dancing shadows flickering every which way. But the 

shadows stopped, and seemed to turn. She stared.

The goblins stared back at the girl, momentarily halting their perpetual commotion. The room was silent.

The past echoed all around the dark chamber. Swirling, escalating to a climax … 

Your highness!  Your highness!  The girl! The girl who ate the peach and forgot everything! She's 

here with the monster and Sir Didymus and the dwarf are with her! They got through the gates 

and they're on their way to the castle!

"This … can't …" 
    
    _Is this what you're trying to find?  So much trouble over such a little thing …_
    
    "be happening …"

She should have given up by now … 

Jareth lay sprawled upon his throne, grinning madly. 

"Welcome." 

And she screamed and screamed, because they told her it wasn't real, they told her again and 

again and again, until she forgot, and she knew they were right, and she couldn't believe again, 

and she wasn't able to believe again ... 


	3. III

[Sorry that took a while – I've been having the day from HELL on my Queen fiction list … Thankee for the reviews!]** ****Epilogue. **

**III.**

Light was shining through an open window. Too bright to be her own bedroom, Sarah at first 

thought she had awoken back at her parents' house.

_Maybe it was all a dream …_

But her window was not so deep; neither were her walls of solid stone. This was not her bedroom. 

And this was not a dream …

It felt so real – the slight breeze, the heat of the sun against thick blankets; not like the games she 

would play as a child. Those were not real; of course not, they had told her so. But they also told 

her that if she would only agree, she would never be trapped in a dream again. She could be like 

everybody else. And she had been. If not a dream - this then, was what? A nightmare?

*          *          *

Jareth held two crystal balls in the palm of his hand. Regarding one, he should have been on his way 

to question Sarah. Regarding the other, he foresaw the resumption of hysterical screaming. He sighed. 

Already Sarah's presence had begun to affect him; for the first time since he could remember, Jareth 

felt shame. Shame – because his "worthy" opponent belonged in an asylum. Shame – because 

everyone would know; due to her grandiose entrance, the entire Labyrinth had been alerted to her 

presence. It was only a matter of time, until-

"Your Majesty?" Jareth dashed both spheres to the ground upon interruption by one of his goblin 

minions. Questions would have to wait. 

"What is it?" he snapped. The goblin took a hop backwards.

"The – the dwarf, and Sir Didymus-"

"Send them away." He conjured up another crystal. Sarah was sleeping again. "She's terribly ill, and 

she can't leave the castle because she's wished herself here, and there's nothing I can do about it."

"Yes, your Majesty." The goblin skipped away. Down the corridor came a rush of noise; Jareth hung 

his head, knowing well what it was.

*          *          *

Sarah didn't notice when Jareth appeared besides her. She was hyperventilating wildly, eyes fixated 

on the window. Sir Didymus and Hoggle were trying to signal her. Jareth frowned; a thick black 

curtain materialized over the window.

"Sarah." He turned towards her unsympathetically. "I must ask you to-"

"Leave me alone, leave me alone, let me go home, go away." She continued to hyperventilate, 

writhing in the sheets.

"I can't just send you home. You have to say-" Sarah began to sob, mixing long wails with her 

heavy breathing.

"I don't want to stay, leave me alone, I want to go home, wake me up, wont' you wake-" a 

succession of deep coughs interrupted her fit. Jareth let down his guard briefly, sitting on the edge 

of the bed.

"Where's your mind, Sarah?" He asked coldly. She laughed. "You were never this agitated, before-" 

"I don't know," Sarah replied lightly, "I've … lost it? Yes, that's what everyone said! They told me 

to be good, and to stop pretending, or I would hurt myself. So I stopped, but now I'm back again …" 

Sarah rolled onto her side, leaning her head against Jareth's thigh. And for a minute he cared.

"They – who are you talking about? What's happened?" 

"Doesn't matter …" she giggled softly, sufficiently disturbing even The Goblin King. [note: not to be 

confused with The Scorpion King.]

"Sarah…"

"Shhh ... I'm gonna go sleepy now, so just stay _right there ..." she wrapped her arms around his leg, _

causing him to jump – at least on the inside.

"Sarah-"

"Shhhh don' be mean …"

Jareth sighed, grabbing a book from thin air. _At least she isn't screaming …_


	4. IV

[I swear I'll have another chapter up tomorrow. Schoolwork awaits!]** ****Epilogue. **

**IV.**

As soon as Sarah passed into a deep sleep, Jareth removed himself to the throne room. He 

immediately sent for his Most Trusted Aid.

*          *          *

"It's very dangerous keeping her here, Highness." Advised the Wise Man. "Many of your 

subjects have already begun to question your reign of the Labyrinth."

"I am aware of the situation."

"You should send her away. As soon as possible."

"Yes, before Chiquita Niña stirs up some royal trouble, eh?" commented the Old Man's Hat. 

The Old Man grumbled.

"I _can't_ do that, unless she wishes it so. I have no –" Jareth twitched, "_jurisdiction over her."_

"Nevertheless, Sire-"

"I summoned you here for a reason. If you cannot provide me with the information I desire, I'll 

drop you-"

"Señor, not the bog!" cried the Hat.

"_Yes, the bog. Now be quiet."_

"Don't get your pantalones in a bundle, majestad." Mumbled the Hat.

"Excuse me?" Jareth grabbed the Hat by his neck. "If you think I'll stand for such-"

Conveniently, the row was interrupted by an awkwardly intrusive goblin. 

"Sire." The goblin bowed timidly, noting Jareth's foul mood.

"Yes, what is it?"

"The lady is talking again?" he reported. Jareth swore to himself.

"That was short. How long has she been conscious?"

"No Sire, she's not awake."

"But she's talking?"

"Yes Sire, very clearly Sire, in her sleep."

"I see. You are dismissed." The goblin bowed again and scurried from the room. Jareth returned 

to his visitor. "Now, while there is still sufficient time-"

"I propose that you take advantage of such an opportunity. If she is indeed coherent, why not 

observe her, and ask questions when she stirs?"

"Will you listen to this old fool?" scoffed the Hat. "Everyone-"

"Why, you!" the Old Man began swatting at the Hat with his short arms. The Hat pecked back 

in defense. Jareth cleared his throat impatiently. "Your Highness-" the Wise Man began to 

apologize, "My colleague-"

"Wake up La Muchaca now, before she stops talking." Recommended the Hat.

"Whatever for? She's mad. I have not had an hour of peace since she came here." Jareth admitted, 

resignedly, "As for you, I have half a mind to-"

"She will not _remember_ in the morning, Señor. If you require the information from her, you must 

wake her while she dreams."  Jareth nodded, thinking.

"The faster she returns to her arrogance, the sooner she leaves the Labyrinth. I will try what you 

suggest." Jareth hurried off into the corridor. "But if this doesn't work …"

"Guaranteed." Replied the Hat happily. "Señor, if you would leave a contribution in the little box-" out 

of nowhere a peach manifested itself wedged inside the Hat's beak. "Muchos gracias …" he squeaked. 

The Old Man laughed.


	5. V

[Oh look at the pretty format. This one's longer than usual.]   
  
**Epilogue.**   
  
**V.**   
  
Sarah was indeed talking in her sleep. When Jareth entered her designated chamber, she was   
rolling around and mumbling. He stood silently beside the bed, calculating his time before   
interruption.   
  
"And then … and then … So I didn't want to go, but I … yes, after the stairs … no I can't   
remember … no, it wasn't only 4 hours … no, the clock had thirteen hours … see my ring is   
gone, see? … but I had it on when you left and … no, it happened and I needed to take out   
the … no, I don't, it's not, don't-"   
  
Sarah was louder now, calling out in a garbled stream of consciousness.It was then that Jareth   
had a brilliant idea. He swiftly knelt down, leaning towards her.  
  
"Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered," he whispered, re-enacting the scene in   
his mind, "I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the goblin city, for my will is as strong   
as yours-"  
  
"And my kingdom as great. And …" Jareth smiled to himself as she muttered the words.   
  
"Sarah, you must save your brother. Say your right words. He soothed. Then you can go home   
again, to your toys, and your costumes, and-"   
  
"And …"   
  
"Go on, child." He murmured in her ear. "Don't you want to leave?" 

Sarah shrieked loudly, slamming   
her fists down against the mattress. Jareth, startled, stumbled against the wall with a grunt of surprise.   
Sarah, still sleeping, set her jaw, preparing for a fight. Her face was flushed with anger.   
  
"You took the book? Don't you see? I don't know the line, and I can't stop unless I have the   
book. If you just – no, you don't understand, I can't get out again. I need the – no, I just have   
to see the last page, please. Please, it's not fair, please, please, please please, please–" her   
cries were getting terrifically loud. Jareth took this moment to shake her harshly, reaching out   
with a gloved hand.  
  
"Sarah."   
  
"Give me back my-"   
  
"Sarah!"   
  
Sarah was forced back into reality by a light slap on the face. She blinked for a minute,   
breathing heavily from her outburst. Jareth crossed his arms.   
  
"I thought I was home." She said, after resting a moment. "My father-"   
  
"Sarah, all you need to is say the words, and you will be gone from here forever."   
  
"The words?" she stared at him blankly. "Oh … I don't know them." For a moment Jareth   
looked panicked.   
  
"What do you mean, you don't know them? How are you going to leave if you don't know   
the words?"   
  
"I … don't know." She pulled herself up to a sitting position. "I want to go home. Send me   
home."   
  
"Sarah." He spoke sternly. "You cannot return if you don't say the words."   
  
"Then … what are they?"   
  
"I can't tell you."   
  
"Why not? If you want me gone so badly-"   
  
"I'm not allowed."   
  
"What do you mean you're not allowed? You're the _king_-"   
  
"This realm has unwritten laws, Sarah. I couldn't tell you … even if I tried."   
  
"Then I have to stay." Sarah realized, turning towards the curtained window. "I_have_  
to stay."   
  
"No. You'll think of the words. I'll try every-"   
  
"Why can't I stay?" she glared at him. "What if I decide I don't want to leave?" Jareth   
lowered his eyes.   
  
"You spoke of a book. Where is it? In your house? Above?"   
  
"I didn't mention … the book. And …" Sarah looked regretful, "it's gone. My father –   
he threw it away."   
  
"Threw it away? He-" Jareth stared at the floor for a moment, before rising quickly to   
his feet." Go back to sleep Sarah. You'll be gone in the morning."   
  
Sarah followed him with her eyes as he stormed off down the hallway. 


End file.
